Microbrewery, Mexican restaurant slot into South Norwalk — with more to come

By Alexander Soule

Updated 11:03 pm, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

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The final days of the transition of the short-lived Hell or High Water brew pub, which becomes Iron Brewing on Friday, Dec. 9, 2017, at 136 Washington St. in South Norwalk, Conn., one of multiple changes in store for the SoNo district. less

The final days of the transition of the short-lived Hell or High Water brew pub, which becomes Iron Brewing on Friday, Dec. 9, 2017, at 136 Washington St. in South Norwalk, Conn., one of multiple changes in ... more

The fox logo of Evarito's greets passersby in December 2017 at the corner of Washington Street and North Main Street, in advance of the Mexican restaurant opening in 2018 under the stewardship of SKAL Restaurant Group, which owns Cask Republic around the corne. less

The fox logo of Evarito's greets passersby in December 2017 at the corner of Washington Street and North Main Street, in advance of the Mexican restaurant opening in 2018 under the stewardship of SKAL ... more

Zapata Mexican Restaurant on Washington Street in South Norwalk, Conn., in early December 2017. The restaurant closed recently and has been put up for sale, even as Evarito’s readies to open around the corner with its own Mexican restaurant and tequila bar concept. less

Zapata Mexican Restaurant on Washington Street in South Norwalk, Conn., in early December 2017. The restaurant closed recently and has been put up for sale, even as Evarito’s readies to open around the corner ... more

The fox logo of Evarito's greets passersby in December 2017 at the corner of Washington Street and North Main Street, in advance of the Mexican restaurant opening in 2018 under the stewardship of SKAL Restaurant Group, which owns Cask Republic around the corner. Read more.

The brew pub formerly known as Hell or High Water — and
before that known as Guvnor’s Brewing — reopened as Iron
Brewing, with three partners taking their own crack at creating a
microbrewery in South Norwalk where two others have failed. Read more.

The new restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a focus
on ingredients sourced from local farms and vendors, as well as a
beverage selection including coffees and teas from regional providers.

Opens winter 2018The building is approximately 10,000 square feet, of
which 1,010 will be used for the tap house. The remainder of the
building will be used for office space, restrooms and manufacturing
(brewing). He said the brewery plans to operate seven days a week, but
the tap house will be open only afternoons and evenings from Thursday
through Sunday. Read more.

Opening December 2017Three years after the Food & Drug Administration eased rules
restricting the use of hemp in food products, an entrepreneur and former
naval officer is building a distillery in South Norwalk to produce gin
and whiskey blends using seeds and flowers from the plant — with a
tasting room for visitors.

Opened November 2017The
new Greenwich spot will feature Chef Carlos Baez’ inventive American
menu with strong global influences. The menu will look and feel much
like that of The Spread in South Norwalk but Chef Baez has a few
surprises for his Greenwich guests. Read more.

Opened October 2017The Washington D.C.-based eatery replaces Cosi at 129 W. Putnam Ave.
It marks Connecticut’s first Cava, but the brand is growing rapidly with
40 restaurants listed on its website and another 20 described as
opening soon, including two in Boston. Read more.

Opened October 2017Nod Hill Brewery has a golden ale and hoppy pale ale ready to go.
Other varieties, including an IPA and a darker brew, will be ready for
the late October opening, Dave Kaye said. Nod Hill Brewery will have six
taps featuring two or three beer varieties that will always be
available, in addition to a few seasonal or limited edition brews. Read more.

Opened October 2017Redding Beer Co. is not your typical brewery and certainly not your typical bar.
The tap room is located on Main
Street in Georgetown, not an out-of-the-way industrial park like many
breweries. The owners are not using their meeting place to peddle
bottles and cans of their products — they don’t even offer their beer that way — though growlers are welcome. Read more.

Opened September 2017Chef/Restaurateur Vinicio Llanos of the popular Arezzo Ristorante & Wine Bar located alongside the tranquil Saugatuck River in Westport, CT, introduced his newest CT venture, Le Madri, to the town of Bethel. This family owned and operated restaurant, bar, and event venue features rustic Italian cuisine set in an open and contemporary space with panoramic views of a bustling town. - CT Bites

Opening August 2017he restaurant offers 22 flavors of wings, including four varieties of Buffalo sauce. Robert Savin of Savin Foods owns 10 Wings Over franchises including all of the Connecticut locations. "It became like a cult
following," Savin said of the franchise. "People love the food we
deliver late at night. Someone who works for me said they were in Alaska
– we used to give out t-shirts when school started – and she saw
someone on the ferry who just graduated from UConn wearing one." Read more.

Opened August 2017The brewery is the newest venture of the DaSilvas, who co-founded the
Southport Brewing Co. more than 20 years ago. The first location in
Fairfield paired in-house brews made by Mark DaSilva with pub fare. The
company expanded to locations in Stamford, Milford and Branford. The
original location closed last year. Only a restaurant with the SBC name
remains in Milford. Read more.

Opened July 2017The new Bobby Q’s promises “something soothing” like smokehouse chili
priced at $9 a bowl, to “something smoked” like its “3 Kings of ‘Cue”
platter serving up St. Louis ribs, pulled pork and brisket for up to six
people, at $100. Read more.

Opened June 2017 The truck is equipped with a gas-fired oven that cooks the large or
small pizzas, which are propelled through the 750-degree oven on a stone
conveyor belt. Single-topped pizzas go for $16.95 and the truck also
sells garlic rolls, meatball sliders, salads and stuffed cannoli. Read more.

Opened June 2017Serving Mediterranean cuisine with strong classic French undertones. From the escargot and Gambas Al Ajlllo to the Magret Duck Breast and gorgeous Beef Bourgignon, this BYOB venue is not to be missed. Bistro Du Soleil and the Muñoz family truly understand the art of both hospitality and simply delicious food. - CT Bites

Opened June 2017The “original” fried ice cream comes in standard flavors,
and can be doused in chocolate sauce or topped with gummy worms and
other sweets. The “wild” version substitutes fudge or caramel for ice
cream. Read more.

Opened February 2017Bringing The Simple Greek to Connecticut is George Pertesis, along with his parents John and Maria and sister Christina. The idea came to the Pertesis family after seeing an episode of “The Profit” on CNBC two years ago, with the show chronicling attempts by entrepreneurs to win financial backing from investor Marcus Lemonis. The Simple Greek concept came about from Lemonis’ work to help a Pittsburgh-area pita stand called My Big Fat Greek Gyro, featured on “The Profit.” Read more.

Microbrewery, Mexican restaurant slot into South Norwalk — with more to come

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For weeks, the brown wrapping paper has been conspicuous covering the windows of two South Norwalk establishments undergoing renovations at opposite ends of Washington Street.

The first of two big reveals is on tap for Friday — with plenty more changes afoot for SoNo heading into the New Year.

The brew pub formerly known as Hell or High Water — and before that known as Guvnor’s Brewing — will reopen Friday as Iron Brewing, with three partners taking their own crack at creating a microbrewery in South Norwalk where two others have failed.

Iron Brewing is taking over space at 136 Washington St. briefly occupied by Hell or High Water, which opened in April under owner Mayub Murshed and brewmaster Anderson Sant’anna Delima, but which shuttered after just six months of operation. Guvnor’s Brewing had not fared much better, closing in December 2014 after less than two years in business.

Looking ahead to 2018, opposite the big SoNo sign at the corner of Washington Street and North Main Street, Evarito’s is planning to open at an unspecified date in a mystery storefront featuring its fox logo and no other identifying signage.

On it Facebook page, Evarito’s bills itself as a Mexican restaurant to be managed by SKAL Restaurant Group, owner of Cask Republic just around the corner on Washington Street and The Ginger Man in Greenwich, with SKAL principal Christian Burns posting notice last week for a liquor permit.

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Evarito’s will occupy the ground level of The Avrick building, a onetime furniture store building owned today by the Stamford-based developer GNA Associates, with Dolce Italian Ice & Cafe on the cusp of its own debut. The Washington Street plaza that fronts Evarito’s has ample space for an outdoor dining patio, with the roof offering potential as a hospitality space as well.

Evarito’s arrival will fill a void created by the recent closure of Zapata Mexican Restaurant, with the business listed for sale after opening only in 2016 in a narrow restaurant space at 84 Washington St. that was home for three decades to El Acapulco Restaurant. In a brokerage listing, Zapata’s owners stated the restaurant was profitable but they went ahead and closed it anyway, citing a need to focus on their flagship Zapata restaurant in Palisades, N.Y.

Also closing recently two doors over at 88 Washington St. was Estia Greek Restaurant, which had been created in 2007 by the Gavrielidis family who also run the East Norwalk restaurants Harbor Lights, Overton’s and Station House Bar and Grille; and the Room 112 coffee and cocktail lounge at 112 Washington St.

As a group, South Norwalk restaurants had counted on a boon from the 2016 opening of the SoNo Pearl apartments on Washington Street built by Stamford-based FD Rich. Restaurateurs have new cause for hope in the opening planned for next summer of SoNo Residence Inn by Marriott on South Main Street steps from Washington Street under development by FD Rich; and further distant, the 2019 opening of the SoNo Collection mall expected to draw large numbers of visitors to South Norwalk.

The district continues to draw new establishments, with recent openings including Il Posto at 122 Washington St., Spigot Beer at 17 Washington St. and SoNo Falafel at 46 N. Main St., with Americana’s Grubline Cafe coming in the latter half of 2018 around the corner on Water Street.

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— Includes prior reporting by Caitlyn Bagley and Leslie Lake, who contributed to this report.